The Great Wall

Wednesday June 30
Today we went to The Great Wall of China. Originally built as defense against the northern, nomadic raiders, the Wall has become one of China’s greatest tourist attractions. Young and old, Chinese and foreign tourists, everyone wants to say, “I climbed the wall,” and then buy the T-shirt. The steps can be very steep and we all took many breaks on our way to the top. We carried water bottles and bought even more water once we reached the top. Still, one man climbing in our area became sick to his stomach on the way up and other members of our group witnessed another tourist who was convulsing as she became overheated from the exertion.
Though it was tiring to reach the top, it’s impossible to forget that those that built the wall carried those stones and bricks up the steep mountains sides before the steps existed, and many lost their lives during the process. The views were amazing. The photos from this hazy day won’t due the views justice.

Chinese retirement

Tuesday June 29
Today we went first to the Temple of Heaven, where the emperor used to yearly perform the ritual sacrifice of oxen, to ensure a good harvest for the people. Beautiful building. It’s a shame to say but we have seen so many beautiful buildings. What was fascinating to many of us was that that the temple grounds.
The temple grounds are essential a large park: covered with lush lawns, winding paths, cool covered walkways and shady mature trees. The grounds have become to gathering place for the retirees of Beijing. They bring their lunches. Sometimes they bring their grandchildren. They arrive early and stay much of the day. They participate in a number of free activities: dance lessons, singing lessons, cards and dominoes. Perhaps most impressive were the physical games which they played: hacky sack (seriously, grannies and grandpas playing hacky sack!), paddle ball in which the two ladies stood 50 yards apart from and just slammed the ball back and forth to each other, and tai chi
They performed tai chi with paddles and balls, swords and without any props at all. We took a short lesson with a 70 year old master. It was calming, but quickly it became clear that tai chi practice is more than just meditation, it will build leg and core strength! Many of us broke a sweat during the short 20-minute exercises she led us through.
One man brought a special long brush, which he dipped in water to write traditional Chinese poems in Chinese calligraphy on the walkway. His granddaughter stood at his side. What a life for retirees. I wish we had those kinds of opportunities for our retirees!

Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City

Monday, June 28
After an hour flight (our fifth this trip with just one return trip to Chicago to go!) we arrived in Beijing, the capital of the People’s Republic of China. Our first stop: Tiananmen Square, the world’s largest public gathering place. Located on the square: Chairman Mao’s mausoleum, where his body has been preserved and displayed since his death in 1976, the national museum, their capitol building, where the people’s representatives meet and discuss the business of the nation and the Forbidden City. It really is an enormous space.
Perhaps Tiananmen Square is best known for the student protests which ended in a government crackdown and hundreds of deaths. Though we did not ask our Chinese guide about these events, she said that most tourists do ask about what happened and so she explained to us that no one could know for sure what happened during those days in 1989. Though she was alive in 1989, she was a small girl. She said the students began their protests against government corruption, which they mistakenly believed existed. First the demonstrations were entirely peaceful but in the end, “some people died”. She added that who exactly died was uncertain, perhaps it was soldiers maybe some students or actors. This is all complete garbage, of course, but it is impossible for Chinese to learn what really happened then and there because their news and internet are censored.
In any case these events, which are unclear to many, if not most, Chinese, are less important to them than the fact that it was from the balcony of the wall surrounding the Forbidden City that Chairman Mao declared the beginning of the People’s Republic, the beginning of “New China” which is a phrase we have heard so often during this trip.
The Imperial Palace, once known as the Forbidden City because it was forbidden to most except the emperor, his wives and advisors, was gorgeous, and much larger than I had imagined. It’s one of those things that you have to experience to understand and I am so grateful to have seen it for myself. Almost time to come home and I am looking forward to seeing everyone and sleeping in my own bed!

*** Editor's Note: Tiananmen Square is 108.7 acres or 440,000 square meters ***

Chinese Muslims and Moped Cabs

Sunday, June 27
Our day started out with a trip to the Grand Mosque. Up until a few years ago, I did not know about the minority Muslim Chinese people. The early Muslims traveled here on the Silk Road, and brought their faith with them. Their architecture, their dress… even their food is an interesting blend of their Muslim heritage and the surrounding Chinese culture. Two Muslim boys ran through the courtyard, wearing their traditional caps to cover their heads, and played Kung Fu. A sign atop a pagoda in the mosque garden read, in Chinese characters, purity (one) faith- expressing the central Muslim belief in one god. Our lunch in a Muslim restaurant featured mutton (lamb), a staple of middle-eastern Muslim food, and noodles, favorite Northern Chinese food. It was delicious.
Since our afternoon was free, we headed to a Taoist temple, which was fascinating. But the cab ride back was a study in Chinese culture. No cabbie would agree to take us. Not speaking Chinese, we did not understand why. A nice gentleman explained to us that the cabbies were in the middle of shift change. No one wanted to take a group of Americans far away from their area right before the end of their shift. We finally convinced a moped cab driver to take us. Once settled in to the tiny benches and cage attached to the back of a moped, we ventured out into the crazy Chinese traffic, where traffic rules and tiny things like lane markers are never any obstacle for the Chinese drivers. One of my fellow teachers asked, “What is this we are riding in?” I’m pretty sure it is not street legal in the U.S., but we survived and enjoyed the ride, as the smaller vehicle made it possible for us to drive down some narrow streets and the breeze through the cab was delightful on this hot day.
Gift idea for the day: Brazil soccer jerseys. The World Cup is HUGE here. Another teacher and I have been looking for China national team jerseys to bring home for souvenirs. Wherever you go, you can find Brazil, Germany, and Italy, but no China. Sold out, perhaps? No. When we asked at a shop for “China Football jerseys”? Several shop attendants bust out in hysterical laughter. Finally someone explained, “China team, very bad. No one wear this. You buy Brazil?” By the way, Chinese national badminton and table tennis jerseys are readily available.

Final Gift Idea???

Before we saw the warriors, we went to factory where they make very fine copies of the Terracotta warriors. Just as with the real ones, they can replace the head with any unique face. So my gift idea for today: life-size terracotta soldiers with MY face on it, for everyone!

Terracotta Warriors

Saturday, June 26
Today was our trip to the countryside near Xi’an, where the Terracotta warriors lay hidden for thousands of years. Designed to be a force to defend the emperor in his afterlife, the foot soldiers and cavalry and chariots were forgotten until farmers, drilling for a new well, accidentally came upon the ancient force in the 70s. Many of the warriors remain buried, as the painstaking archeological work continues to this very day. While many of the warriors share the same body, each of their faces is different. The artisans made them to share the likenesses of the emperor’s real-life soldiers. Their hands grasp swords and bows and arrows that have long since disintegrated, but their faces reflect the determination of a well-trained and experienced guard worthy of an emperor.
Finally we spent the evening in the Muslim quarter. Xi’an is home to a sizable Muslim minority. Some of the best deals in town can be had here, but the crowds on this Saturday night were HUGE! We walked through the crowded alleyways and bought a few souvenirs. The evening was unusually cool and even a few raindrops fell, which the people in this dry province were surely glad to see.

Xi'an

Friday June 25
Today after an early flight (4 a.m. wake-up call) we arrived in Xi’ an (she an). Xi’an is home to the famous terra cotta warriors, which we will get to see tomorrow. But we started here with a visit to a school. I enjoyed very much observing a 5th grade math class in which every student was actively engaged and no one misbehaved for even a moment. Nonetheless, they were active, involved and excited about learning to calculate the volume of a cube.
Then we went for a short walk on the city wall, which is enormous. The wall was built during the Ming dynasty to protect the city from northern invaders. It’s much larger than any of the city walls I saw while in Europe. On Sunday Ellen and I are planning to rent bikes to ride along the top of it. It’s huge!
Finally we attended a dinner theater show, which featured music and dancing inspired by the Tang dynasty. Xi’an was the here have I heard that one before?
Gift idea of the day? Lots of raw meat lying out in the fresh air on the counter in the market. Meatloaf, anyone?

Expo

Wednesday June 23
The Shanghai Expo set an attendance record yesterday. 500,000 people waiting in line to see exhibits from around the world. Since many Chinese people are very excited about the Expo the city is full of visitors. For some Chinese, it is their only chance to “see the world”. It is very expensive for Chinese people to travel and they may not be able to acquire the necessary visa to go where they would like to go. Once they arrive at the Expo, they begin the waiting. The larger, elaborate exhibits (for example: Japan, Saudi Arabia, USA), which people have heard are good, required as much as a five hour wait. As a member of the group said, “If there wasn’t a wait, there was a very good reason why.” Those pavilions did not have much to see."
My highlight: eating kebab in a Turkish restaurant in China and speaking German with the manager, who used to live in Germany. The Turkish ice cream guy was the best. He scooped the ice cream with a 3 ½ foot long scoop and then performed tricks with the scoop pulling the cone, stuck to the scoop, right out of your hand spun it around before handing it back to you with great flair.
Also interesting, the Chinese, hot and tired, fast asleep on the benches in the shade. After a long day, in 95 degree heat, I could certainly understand that! The most popular gift idea from the expo, Haibo, the blue mascot that looks like a little man made out of toothpaste. Haibos for everyone?

Shanghai Jade Buddha Temple

Tuesday June 22
Today we arrived in Shanghai, home of the 2010 Expo. Shanghai is a city of 25 million people and right now it is busier than ever because each day hundreds of thousands of visitors arrive to experience the world through the expo exhibitions. More about the expo is to come, because we will spend our entire day there tomorrow.
Upon our arrival, our tour bus entered a narrow street, an alleyway really, which is home to the Jade Buddha Temple. An oncoming tour bus blocked the road, because it was not over far enough. The buses honked at each other until our guide said simply, “We can get out here and walk.” While waited to enter the temple the two drivers plus the driver of taxi trapped behind us, shouted at each other in the street. I imagine the conversation went something like this. “You moron, move your bus.” “No, you move your bus, I was here first…” This was remarkable because in all the traffic we have experienced, in all the times we have approached another vehicle had to stop, back up and try again, this is the first time there has been any degree of anger. Ironically, this confrontation took place in front of the home of the Buddhists monks, known for their serenity and patience.
Inside the temple complex, we observed people kowtowing (bowing down) before figures of the Buddha and bodhisattvas (lesser buddhas), lighting incense and letting it burn as an offering to the Buddha. We also saw thousands of tiny Buddhas. The Buddhas appear temporarily in the temple complex with the name of a benefactor. For a smaller donation Buddhists can tie a red ribbon to the door of the temple, or hang a red ribbon from a lantern, asking the Buddha for help.
Finally, we went to the temple tea room where we tasted a variety of teas, each having its own medicinal properties. We learned that one should always wash their tea leaves before brewing tea. This is something that even our Chinese guide did not know.

Suzhou

Monday June 21
First, we went to Lingering Garden. The home and gradens of a very wealthy family, the Lius. It is now open to the public, a very big draw for tourists because you can see there traditional architecture, furniture and, of course, the beautiful gardens including a water garden.
Next, we went to a silk factory and I got to see silk worm cocoons being unwound and prepared to be turned into beautiful silk fabric. It was interesting and I think I undertand the process better than I did before. I made videos to bring back. Later we saw ladies using silk thread in vibrant colrs embroidering intricate designs. I have never seen such amazing embroidery. For the first time I truly understand why it was for so many years that the Chinese did not want to trade with the West. Their level of artistry was so advanced, their finished products so fine that the goods available in the rest of the world were simply not needed by the Chinese people.
Finally some of us, (not me!) are getting a little tired of Chinese food. So we ate at Pizza Hut last night. The menu was huge! Besides pizza (just like the ones you can eat right there in Pendleton) they had steak on the menu! I also had green tea with pear and lilly to drink. Delicious! Finally, we got donuts from “sweet donut” which looks a lot like Duncan Donuts, but the donuts were so pretty. Intricate designs decorated the tops. And they tasted great too.
Silk Factory
Tea House
Canal Cruise
Embroidery Factory

Gift Idea???

I haven’t forgotten about my gift promise. I don’t want to run out of money so I’m thinking maybe I’ll bring back the little toilet paper packs they sell here. Why do they sell little TP packs? Often the bathrooms here have no TP. They have not run out, they just don’t provide it. So one important rule of travel in China: Don’t forget to bring your own TP.

Nanjing

Sunday June 20, 2010
Highlights today: Nanjing Massacre Museum, which tells the story of the Japanese defeat of the China’s then capital, Nanjing, and the massacre the Japanese troops carried out after they took the city in 1937. Though it is impossible to know exactly, estimates are that 300,000 Chinese were brutally murdered during the massacre. Chinese troops, civilians, men, women, children and old people were systematically brutalized and killed under direction of the Japanese military leadership. For Chinese people, this is an extremely important event in their history. It is their “Holocaust”. It is important for them that everyone remembers their suffering and they are angry that many Japanese people deny the truth of the horrors of the Nanjing massacre.
We also went to a museum featuring the Chinese exam system. For hundreds of years, qualifying for a good job as a Chinese official depended on scoring well on the national exam. Every three years candidates arrived in the capital, Nanjing, to take the exam. In an enormous complex, thousands of candidates sat, each in their own 4x4x6 foot cell, to write the exam. They stayed in their cells for a whole week. They ate and slept there, they even went to the bathroom there. They went through elaborate measures to try to cheat on the exams. They smuggled in cheat sheets written on thin, edible paper. Sometimes they sewed information into the insides of their robes. Students are students, I guess.
Today’s souvenir idea: I wish I could get you all to pose for a souvenir picture. At the presidential palace, we watched as Chinese dressed up and posed as emperors and empresses in front of photo backgrounds of an imperial palace. It’s the Chinese equivalent of dressing up in costume for an old wild west, saloon scene/gunslinger photo!

Weather

Answer to the big weather questions..... It has been very hot and humid every day. When we wash out our clothes, it takes two days for them to dry completely. My clothes feel damp just from sitting in my suitcase. So we are all trying to drink lots of water all the time. The Chinese don't even drink their own tapwater, so that means we are all buying lots of bottles water, but it's cheap.

The big weather story here in Guilin is the flooding. Due to a lot of rain (I can't find anyone who knows exactly how much) we have had to change some plans. The flooding continues and more Chinese people have lost their lives in the flooding.

Li River Valley

Saturday, 19, 2010
Today we were able to take a shortened version of the river cruise we missed yesterday. This area is considered one of the most beautiful places in China. The Li River, which flows through this valley, has carved the hillsides into shapes that look like no other place in the world. The pictures do not do justice to the beauty of the views. At every turn a postcard worthy view.
The people of the area fish from bamboo rafts. They train cormorants, to fish for them. Natural fishers, the cormorants dive under the water and catch fish. The fishermen tie strings around their necks to prevent the catch from going down. They retrieve the fish from the birds to save for themselves and their families and then reward the birds with small fish, which will go down past the string. Fascinating! Since tourists are so interested in this unique fishing technique, the fishermen will pose for pictures for a small fee. Many of us have great souvenirs photos to bring back.

Art Museum and painting

Friday 6/18
Today our plans have changed. Due to flooding and landslides in Guangxi province, in which 40 people have died, we went instead to the Guilin Art Museum, where we were treated to a demonstration of traditional Chinese art techniques. I took a video and plan to bring brushes, inks and paper home so students can try their hand at it next year, maybe in an afterschool program. We were amazed with the artist’s skill as he painted bamboo for our group. We learned bamboo is associated with summer and symbolizes uprightness and honesty. He inscribed the painting with wishes for good luck and health.

Terraced Rice Field Village

Thursday 6/17/10
Today we got a late start. We arrived at the hotel last night at 2 a.m., so after sleeping in, we left at 10. We drove 2 hours into the mountains to visit the village of a Chinese minority group, the Dong people. We hiked up winding narrow paths to reach the top of the village and to see, through the fog and the mist, breathtaking views of the village’s terraced fields and the surrounding mountains. Flooded with water from recent heavy rains, these fields, carved from the steep hillsides, are the only reason people are able to farm in this area at all. There they grow rice, of course, but also cucumber, sweet potatoes, corn and many other fresh vegetables. Lunch was delicious. My favorite: scrambled eggs and leek stir fry with rice.
On the way back down many of us did some shopping. With the help of Kimberly, one of our guides, Edith and I bought some hand-embroidered skirts with for Mariel and Edith’s granddaughters. Kimberly helped us get a better price. 65 Yuan sounded like a lot, but it’s less than $10.00 for this woman’s beautiful work. I also bought a small purse, to carry TP in. That may sound strange- to carry a TP purse, but in China many public restrooms do not provide TP. YIKES!
Today’s gift idea: Chinese Pizza. Sounds good, right? Our pizza had no cheese, cucumber, tomato, red beans and green onion and sauce that was more like salsa. Actually, it was really good!

Shenzhen

Wednesday 6/16/ 10
Today we made a visit to Shenzhen. Shenzhen is a “new” city, our tour guide told us. It began its rapid growth in the 80s. It has grown from a collection of small fishing villages to become home to 15 million people. Many of those people are migrants. They have migrated to the city for work in factories. Officially, they live in the country. Their children must stay at home with grandparents, because Shenzhen will not educate the children of these workers! We saw high-rise slums (urban villages) right next to brand new multimillion dollar developments. The contrast was remarkable.
We also visited an international school with (wealthy) children from China as well as Europe, Korea, India and the U.S. Learn in English and Chinese. The parents of these students have chosen this school in hope that their children can achieve success through impeccable English language skills. They have lost faith in the traditional “Gaukau” testing system and are trying to find another way.
We also went to oil painting village called Dafen. There they copy masters like Van Gogh or Monet and paint hundreds of copies. The mass produced oil paintings are mostly for wholesale to the U.S. or Europe. They also are beginning to paint originals as well. Some members of our group did not like that there was little creativity in the “art”. They also did not like that mostly the subjects of the Dafen paintings were western. But at the museum, they stated that it is in this way that Chinese are beginning to learn to appreciate art and the creativity will come later. The village was full of some of the happiest kids you’d ever hope to see. There was a real sense of community there. They are prospering through this work. I don’t want to buy the artwork, but I enjoyed seeing the good life they are building for themselves there.
I may have spotted just the thing for my students. There is a very popular anime’ cartoon featuring blue and pink goats. Think Hello Kitty with horns. Wouldn’t all the 8th grade boys love little fluffy goat souvenirs?

Yesterday.... playing catchup!

Tuesday June 15, 2010. Here I am in Hong Kong, China. Hong Kong, which was under British control until 1997, still has some differences from mainland China. They use different money (Hong Kong Dollars, not Chinese Yuan Renminbi) and they even drive on the right side of the road, like the British. Also, many people here speak very good English.
Last night, we got in only in time to eat dinner and take a short walk along the harbor (one of the largest container ports in the world). Along the way I saw some dedicated soccer fans sitting in the middle of the mall on hard plastic seats to watch World Cup soccer, which is HUGE here. There are signs everywhere with brackets ready for the championship round matches and results to be recorded. I have no idea who was playing, the score…. In Chinese of course!
And now it is 4 a.m. and I cannot sleep. I slept very little on the plane (15 ½ hours) and I was so tired last night I felt dizzy. At home it is 4 in the afternoon and I must still be on Indiana time. Luckily, my roommate is in the same boat and we are both up typing. Jet lag!
As for my gift hint… we had some delicious red bean paste soup for dessert last night. Maybe I could bring some back for everyone?

Hong Kong Update Try #2

I haven't slept since Friday night. This is the worst case of jet lag I've ever had. Because I am so whipped I will give a quick list of all we did and saw and then go to bed. But I will include a buch of pictures so you can see what I have been up to....
1. Star Ferry trip accross the harbor
2. Furnicular trip to the top of Hong Kong's highest peak with foggy view of the city below.
3. Drove past Jackie Chan's driveway.
4. Toured Hong Kong's Boat People's watery neighborhood.
5. Ate an enormous and delicious lunch at a floating restaraunt.
6. Rode a cable car to the top of an island on a day so windy they shut the cars down earlier in the day.
7. Survived the cable car ride.
8. Saw the world's largest outdoor bronze Buddha.

9. Going to BED!

Welcome, Students!

Ni Hao! (Hello!)

With one week left before my family will drive me to Chicago to depart for Hong Kong, I welcome my students to this blog.

During my three weeks in China, I will try to post each day a little about what I have seen and done. I will also drop a few hints about possible gifts, which I promised to bring back for my 7th graders- soon to be 8th graders. Fried scorpion? ;-)

If you become a "follower" you can post comments or questions. But otherwise, just bookmark this site and check in every once in a while.

Xie xie (sheh sheh)! (Thank you!)